


The Shadows Of This World Will Try To Steal You Away Into Their Arms

by KidWestHope16



Category: Digimon - All Media Types, Digimon Adventure Zero Two | Digimon Adventure 02
Genre: A lot of chosen are going to be hurting, Accidental Self Harm, Child Abduction, Chocmon put Wallace at the top of the list, Chosen Children are a giant family, Chosen Children on a watch list, Dark Masters, Dark Ocean, Darkness, Daydreaming, Descent into Madness, Destiny Light & Hope form a holy trinity, Digidestined in danger, Digimon being oppressed, Digimon experimentation, Family Feels, Found Family, Governments trying to use digimon as weapons of mass destruction, Ken falling into darkness, Mutually protective tendencies, Protective Siblings, Protectiveness, Running Away, Save the chosen children, Save the digimon, Seven great demon lords - Freeform, Sleepwalking, Team as Family, Visions, Wallace's mom won't go down without a fight, apocalymon briefly mentioned, children fighting, don't touch her baby, higher up they are the more danger they are in
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-03
Updated: 2019-07-23
Packaged: 2019-08-11 15:21:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16478042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KidWestHope16/pseuds/KidWestHope16
Summary: It started as a recurring dream. Slowly but surely things began to change. At first it wasn't noticeable. But then things suddenly began to make sense.They were still in for the fight of their lives. And they didn't have their partners to help.





	1. My Best Friends Gone, My World Has Been Torn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He knew better than to keep something like this a secret. And yet he had told no one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title lyric: love's to blame by joel and luke

Takeru sighed near inaudibly as he eyed the clock with frustration, 3:28 a.m. the red numbers glared at him. Mocked him as he propped his chin in his hands and continued reading over his notebook. His mom should have come home hours ago, yet she had failed to make an appearance. She hadn't even sent him a text to let him know she'd be out late.

He wished Patamon was here but, the digital world needed him, all their partners had been left behind to help rebuild the digital world. After the world of dreams had vanished, wrecked beyond salvation. Gennai had asked them to leave their partners to restore the balance of the digital world. Despite its beauty, there was still an imbalance. There was still a need to defend those in need. To fight those that had flourished during those dark moments when the world was bathed in darkness.  
  
  
A warmth in his chest gave him pause at the fluttering he felt. He guitily gnawed his lower lip and pushed himself away from his desk. He crawled under the covers.  
"Sorry. It must hard, but..." Takeru pressed his palm to his chest and wondered why he hadn't said anything to anyone. He could still feel the world of dreams, the warmth and comfort it provided. It had latched onto him as it did the others and yet it had refused to let go, instead it had burrowed deeper. The small speck was growing with each night that he slept. It also brought nightmares with it.  
Nightmares that made him scream himself awake. Made him push off sleeping later and later.

It was starting to affect his health. He was sluggish in the morning and he was out of breath after basketball practice. He was almost to tired to properly respond to the questions the new digidestined had when they sent him questions from the chatroom Koushiro created. Somehow the responsibility fell to him as he was fluent in three languages and able to pick up some others. Ken helped here and there when he had the time knowing three languages as well. His being spanish to Takeru's French and Italian to Takeru's English.  
More and more though, it fell on him. They each had responsibilities as they held the most experience with the digital world. Taichi, Yamato, Sora, Koushiro and Mimi being the ones that government spoke with as the liasons to the digital world. Takeru and Ken being ambassadors to the destined around the world. Hikari, Daisuke, and Miyako taking in the new destined that Oikawa created. Iori and Joe being the only exceptions as Iori's grandfather took him away to properly mourn Oikawa. And Joe was studying for medical school. 

Had it really been two months since then? It felt like just yesterday he said goodbye to Patamon.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Takeru fell out of bed biting back the scream that wanted to escape him. He scrambled to his feet and threw himself out of the room wanting to be far away from his bed as possible. He slowed down as he neared his mother's room and quietly peered into the room, just seeing her sleep peacefully calmed him down most nights.  
Tonight she wasn't in bed. He could feel hysteria bubbling in his chest as he forced himself to breathe slowly. To keep to the tempo of the clock hanging above the phone behind him. He ignored the tightness of his chest and the way his fingers shook as he tucked them under his arms and paced.  
He was fine.  
He was doing just fine, right?  
He scrunched his eyes shut and ignored the way his breathing hitched. He didn't want to think about that shadowed light.

That laugh the echoed around him as he tried to move, chains holding him down as something sharp flew at his face. The thin cut below his left eye.  
Sweat trinkled down the sides of his face, he shuddered and hastily wiped the sweat. He froze.  
Blood was on his hand.  
He rushed to the bathroom and switched on the light blinking against the harsh light.

Harsh breathing greeted his ears as he squinted at the mirror. Shoulders heaved with each wheezing breath he took. His fingers prodded the cut on his cheek. It was razor thin, and already clotting. It was exactly where he'd been cut in his dream. He swallowed thickly and stumbled out of the bathroom and towarss the phone. A blinking red light indicated there was a message.

His knees felt weak, he missed hitting the play button twice. On the third try he hit the play button and stopped breathing.  
"Takeru, i know you won't hear this until the morning. Don't panic. Just give me a call." His dad explained calmly but Takeru could hear sirens in the background.


	2. Feel The Fear And Swallow Back The Tears

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He tried to tell his brother. But words failed him and his appearance had him pegged as hysterical. They didn't know the danger they were in because he kept this stupid secret!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title lyric: killer in the mirror by set it off

Takeru was sliding into the waiting room with all the grace of a newborn fawn. He hit the ground twice as he spotted his father and tried to rush to his side. He was picked up and steadied by a kind stranger. He doesn't even know if he thanked him.

Tears blurred his vision as he tripped again, arms sliding around his waist stopped him from hitting the floor.

He was pulled into a tight embrace.

He clung to the arms around him as his nose burned and lungs stuttered on every choked off sob he supressed. _'Takeru was sleeping, he knows he was. And yet for some reason he was sitting beside his mother as she drove him from a late night of work. She was humming under her breath, that song she taught onii-chan to play on the harmonica. She was nervously drumming her fingers along the steering wheel. He wanted to scream at her to run. To get out of the car. He was frozen, mouth seemingly glued shut as he watched with his heart in his throat. The world around them froze, time ceased and all life vanished in this moment. Darkness encroached upon them encasing them in eerie silence._

_"Look out!" Takeru cried out managing to pry the words out of his mouth. His mother's blue eyes widened as she met his eyes and he realized that she could see him._

_They were blinded by bright lights. Sound exploded around them. A loud cacophony of grating noise that made his teeth ache. Glass hung in the air as if suspended by gravity. His mother's eyes softened as she reached out to touch him. He reached out to her in fear. She went right through him._

_He was suddenly wearing chains. Darkness._

_Laughter._

_A sharp object flying at him._

 Takeru knows he's having a panic attack. He knows what he has to do. He can't remember what he needs to do. Mom used to talk him through his panic attacks. Then Patamon. And Tai once, Joe another. No one else knew.

"Takeru!" His dad yelled at him gripping his arms by the elbows in concern. He couldn't breathe.

He didnt want to make him worry.

Onii-chan was still holding him and trying to help him calm down. Rubbing his chest and muttering nonsense words.

"Mom's okay. Breathe, you need to breathe Teeks." His lungs burned. He felt faint as his unsteady knees gave out again. 

He could barely feel the hands gripping his elbows as his vision tunneled.

He felt dizzy. A hand was squeezing his shoulder tightly enough that he could feel. A voice came as if from far away. "Breathe in and hold for the count of one." He tried. It was hard.

Each breathe felt as if he was using a straw. A ringing in his ears nearly drowned out the voice.

"Breathe out for two, good." The voice praised rubbing circles into his collarbone. Several minutes of breathing techniques and he was feeling steadier. He had a cold rag covering his eyes and he was lying on his back. His feet were raised and his head was pillowed on someone's lap. The voice continued to instruct him to breathe for several more moments until Takeru lethargically patted the hand rubbing circles into his collarbone. The voice fell silent, someone gripped his cold hand in their warm hand and gave it a squeeze. He clumsily gripped back with the little strength he had.

"Ishida-san, if you could follow me." He jolted a little in shock when the hand in his gave a slight tug. His clammy fingers refused to cooperate with him as he tried to hold on. A wave of vertigo struck out of the blue. He swallowed tightly and tried to control his breathing.

 

 

"Hey, easy. You're doing good. That's it." Yamato glanced down at his near catatonic brother and shot a terrified look at his father's back. Seeing his brother slide into the emergency room had startled him. Watching him fall in his panicked frenzy to reach them had frightened him. He was downright horrified when he began hyperventilating as he babbled hysterically about a car accident and how he knew it would happen. None of their reassuring words had broken through the haze of hysteria.

A doctor, a tall black haired man with kind cinnamon brown eyes immediately made a beeline to their side and helped Takeru begin to calm down. His firm yet commanding tone had done wonders in getting Takeru to listen. Although anything would be better than what he and his dad had been doing. Half scared, half panicked they wouldn't have been able to help in the first place and had in fact made things worse.

A kind old man had brought a cup of water and soaked his handkerchief with some of the water before handing it to the doctor who had simply lain in over Takeru's eyes and continued to instruct him to breathe. Yamato was thankful but the older gentleman had waved away his gratitude. Yamato didn't want to admit that he was scared about being alone with Takeru in case he had another panic attack but he was. He didn't know how to help him. Had in fact made things worse somehow despite his attempts to reassure his brother that everything would be fine.

He had never been this scared. Seeing Takeru in danger in the digital world when they were younger hadn't frightened him as bad as seeing him paralyzed by fear so strong he couldn't even breathe.

"Yamato, how is he?" Yamato glanced at his dad from the corner of his eyes trying to keep his voice strong. 

"He's okay." He cursed himself when his voice wavered at the end dropping to a whisper. His dad ruffled his hair with a soft look in his eyes, like he understood him and wanted to pass his strength to Yamato.

"Your mom is going to be just fine. She won't be able to go to work for a while. What do you think about going to live with you mom for a little while?" He smiled down at Takeru when he exhaled shakily. Trembling fingers reached out to remove the handkerchief from his face. Yamato was relieved that he no longer looked seconds away from falling apart. Wet blue eyes and a tremulous smile was the only sign that Takeru gave at the idea of living together again. Yamato knows when the shock faded and he had time to process what happened, he would have a very happy brother. He's upset that it took an accident like this to get his parents under the same roof again.


	3. I Will Be Your Brother And I'll Hold Your Hand, You Should Know I'll Be There For You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taichi was not one for diplomacy. But being the leader of a group of fellow teens and kids in dangerous territory had taught him the value of deflection and discretion.  
> Ken knows he wasn't help out as much as he should, but he wasn't going to let something like this happen again. He was going to shoulder Takeru's half of this burden. Only Takeru didn't receive that memo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title lyric: if we have each other by Alec Benjamin

"Yeah, yeah. Mom's doing fine. Takeru's sleeping right now. It was... I've never seen him like that Taichi." Yamato bit his lip nervously plucking the air as if he was strumming his guitar.

It would take awhile for him to get back his equilibrium.

He shook his head roughly as Takeru frowned and cringed back. He kneeled down by him and rubbed his head gently as if trying to soothe away his worries. Takeru relaxed back into the couch unaware of the world around him now that he was back home. He froze when he caught sight of the faint cut under his eye. His finger traced the thin line and was instantly caught in a tight grasp as Takeru's eyes snapped open. Blue eyes wild with fear met his own frightened gaze.

"Shh, shh. You're okay. Everything's fine." Yamato spoke softly in a calm voice. He kept talking until the fear vanished, until the trembling hand that gripped his in an iron grip fell slack. He continued reassuring his brother until his eyes fluttered close in exhausted sleep. Eyebags dark and prominent under his eyes. How long had he been missing sleep? 

"Yamato?" He jerked back at the voice in his ear. He chuckled nervously to himself over getting so startled. Takeru wasn't the only one who needed to get back their equilibrium.

"Sorry. Takeru-" that wasn't a nightmare, he was expecting to be attacked. "It's nothing. Nevermind Taichi, just... If we can get a few days... I know people are still uneasy about the digimon..." Yamato stared at his brother's exhausted face. It was more than that. There was talk of using the digimon for military purposes. As weapons. Questions about why children were being chosen. 

"I'll get you a week. Both of you make sure to get as much rest as you can. We'll keep you posted on everything." Taichi ended the call cheerfully. Yamato didn't know why, but it felt as if a dark empty chasm was just behind him. Threatening to consume him as it had many years ago when he was in the digital world with only Gabumon at his side.

Darkness was encroaching on territory reclaimed by the light.

"What are you afraid of?" Yamato whispered grasping Takeru's cold hand in his as he tugged the blanket higher to cover him more. Takeru remained blissfully unaware of Yamato's inner turmoil.

 

 

Taichi looked down at his phone with concern etched across his features. He knows how scared Yamato felt. Had it really been six months ago that Takeru pounded on his door experiencing a panic attack after seeing Devimon? This was only the third time he'd seen Takeru have a panic attack but it never got any easier. Seeing a seven year have a panic attack was no different than seeing an eleven year old have a panic attack. The only difference was the height. 

Taichi took out his d-terminal and quickly sent a message to the others to let them know Yamato and Takeru were going to be home for the next week and for everyone ro help cover them. If they wanted to know why they were out they'd ask, but it wasn't important at the moment. They had to close ranks, they couldn't show any signs of weakness or the government would jump on it.

_'You're just children. You don't know what true responsibility is. Leave this to the adults. To more capable hands.'_

The words reverberated throughout his mind as he grit his teeth. The condescension dripping off the words like poison disguised as honey. The way they were being treated wasn't fair, wasn't even legal! They had to grin and bear it. Stand tall against opposition from friend and foe alike. 

The digimon were being treated worse than gaijin. Yamato and Takeru struggled a little more than the rest of them because they were half french with a foreigner as their mother. They didn't act like it mattered, had confessed to having hardships like this all the time. It made him feel guilty to have never noticed a thing. Maybe that's why they were the first ones to catch on to the treatment of the new chosen ones partners.

"What's wrong?" Hikari queried as she stepped into the room with her d-terminal in hand. Taichi shook off his thoughts and turned to face her fully.

"Takaishi-san was in an accident. She's going to be okay but Yamato and Takeru are going to be living together again until she heals up." Hikari smiled sadly and Taichi understood. Takeru's dream, his biggest hope was to have his family living together again under one roof. What a twisted way for that dream to get granted.

"The government is breathing down our necks right now. You need to stay focused and make sure everyone else is too. We're down two team members but that doesn't mean we're down for the count." Taichi clenched his hand into a fist crushing his nerves into dust.

 

They were going to be just fine.

 

They didn't have any choice but to be strong and pull themselves together.

 

 

 

Ken read the message Taichi-san sent two hours and instantly felt guilty. He'd been shirking his duties slightly the past two weeks. Not that he did it on purpose. Kawada Noriko-san had been having a lot of trouble adjusting to life after being used by Oikawa and then being left behind. She reminded him of himself after he'd been freed of the digimon kaiser. Her health was taking a turn for the worse and she couldn't seem to  be able to forgive herself despite becoming a digidestined and partnered to punimon.

 'I understand, I'll continue to monitor Kawada-san as well. Keep me posted if any of the others show the same symptoms.' Ken nervously toyed with his D3. Takeru hadn't asked him why he wasnt around to help him. Didn't bring it up when he came over to Ken's house or vice versa. Just gave him a once over and smiled. He could have told him, told any of the others but he kept silent at her request until Iori expressed his concern that she had missed several meetings. Daisuke had simply looked his way with that scrutinizing stare of his and proclaimed the problem handled.

Ken listened to his mother bustle around as she cleaned up after breakfast. He checked the chatroom and found it empty for the time being. It would start flooding with questions and concerns soon enough. Most were easy to explain away through the video chat feature. Others needed more time and examples or demonstrations.

He was still picking up other languages to cover the ones that Takeru was learning. His being Russian and Mandarin to Takeru's German and Korean. Both were tag teaming Alaskan, Portuguese, Arabic, Hindi and Bengali. It helped a little that most everyone they spoke with knew a little of another language. And pantomime was universal while sign language was not.

"Thanks for letting me in Ichijouji-san." Ken jerked away from the screen in shock as someone not on the door to his room. "Ken?" Ken stood and quickly made his way to the door opening it to see Takeru standing outside his room with his mother's laptop tucked under his arm, bag slung across his shoulder and a steaming thermos in the other hand. His hair was still wet, there were deep eyebags under his eyes and he was wearing a band shirt that read 'Teenage Wolves' in bold red comic sans. His disheveled appearance aside, he still wore a bright smile. As if he knew no hardships.

It was something that frightened him.

Whereas his brother wasn't afraid to let anyone know he was upset or angry. Takeru kept a smile on his face when he was upset. He smiled right before punching someone (him) in the face. Could take a whip to the face without twitching or having his smile fade.

"Are you okay?" Asked Ken instantly wanting to take back his question when Takeru's smile was directed at him. "I mean, you look tired. You could just rest. I can handle everything right now." He continued nervously looking away and towards his computer to check for any messages.

"It's fine. Onii-chan fell asleep not too long ago and dad still isn't home. Mom won't be allowed to have visitors until later on tonight. I have time." His tone was upbeat, not cheerful but not sad either. He didn't sound any different yet Ken could almost feel how sadness hung off of his shoulders. He'd leave him be for now, no point dredging up unpleasant thoughts.

 

Ken and Takeru nearly worked through lunch if his mother hadn't brought lunch to them. Even now she still grew sentimental at him having friends. Thankfully Takeru never commented and waved away all gratitude. No one did.

"Excuse me." Whispers Takeru as he practically sprints out of the room. Ken felt conflicted in leaving him alone and rushing after him. He glanced at the framed photo on his desk and firmed his resolve. He left his room leaving the photo of him and Daisuke laughing at Minomon and Chibomon. He just had to be brave like Daisuke.

"Takeru?" Ken called through the bathroom door as he knocked. There was silence before he heard something move around. "Are you alright in there?" He queried brows furrowing in concern as he shifted closer to the door.

"Fine. 'm fine. Go away please." He sounded okay. But Ken couldn't trust that, Takeru was skilled at projecting a calm, happy demeanor when he felt anything but. He could see his mother from the corner of his eye but paid her no mind as he knocked more insistently on the door.

"Takeru, if you're not feeling well you can tell me." He was startled when the door abruptly opened nearly toppling him over from being pressed against it.

"I said. I'm. Fine." Takeru bit out smiling. His face was flushed and he was panting as of unable to catch his breath. Ken instantly felt as if he'd overstepped some boundary. He wanted to step back, he didn't want another confrontation with this digidestined. Takeru's smile fell, he gave him a once over and looked down with a small sigh.

"You didn't deserve that, sorry. I should just go." He mumbled to his feet brushing past Ken without another word. Ken reached out snagging his arm and pushing past the fear he felt.

Takeru was his friend.

And he was hurting.

"I'm here." He blurted out feeling his cheeks heat up at his forwardness. Takeru glanced at him from over his shoulder with raised brows. His eyes softened and he smiled, it was gentle and warm.

"Thanks." He slipped free and gathered his things. He left quietly. Exhaustion dripped off him but he didnt complain. "I'll come back tomorrow. Thank you for the hospitality." Then he was gone.

 

 

Takeru gripped his thermos tightly with trembling hands and pressed his forehead to the top as he bit back tears. He'd been so mean to Ken. He hadn't deserved it. "What's happening to me?" He whispered to the thermos as he rode the elevator down. He sniffed fighting against the stinging of his nose and prickling tears appearing in his eyes.

_Ken was falling, falling and crying out. He was reaching out a hand. Someone was reaching out, they missed by a mere centimeter._

_Darkness._

_A cruel voice cackling._

_The crack of a whip._

_The glint of sunglasses._

_Someone screaming Ken's name._

_Red digicode, malevolently pulsing._

_"TAKERU!"_

Takeru jolted back into awareness to see that he was standing in the middle of a crosswalk. The signal was blinking. He ran across the street and straight into his panicked brother's hold. His brother was rambling and patting him down. Takeru's heart pounded in his chest as he realized that he was dreaming while awake. The warmth in his chest pulsed brightly, it was pushing him to dream. Glimpses of what was to come slipping through the dreams. He'd only seen the past and present up til now.

What did it mean? Ken falling into darkness.


	4. And I'll Protect You, I'll Defend You, If You Let Me Try, We'll Stay Together Now And Forever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yamato was scared. Something was happening to his brother, but no matter how many times he asked him what was wrong he was always rebuffed with a laugh and shrug. Why wasn't he confiding in him?  
> Takeru could feel a cold hand wrap around his throat whenever he made to ask for help. The warm light pulsing in his chest always shrunk away which meant it wasn't in his imagination.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title lyric: let me try- natewantstobattle Steven Universe

Takeru was bundled up and tucked into bed after eating an omelet to appease his brother. He felt guilty for upsetting his brother. He never meant to scare him like this. Especially after he'd been so weak as to fall into the easy temptation of a panic attack. He turned to his side as his cheeks grew warm with shame at the thought of his panic attack. He had been doing so well keeping them under control after he'd ended up at Taichi's house.

"Teeks?" Takeru feigned sleep unable to face his brother. He must have been more than exhausted and yet he'd gone out searching for Takeru despite his note telling him he was fine.

The bed dipped down behind him and a cool palm was pressed to his forehead. He breathed slowly, conscious of his brother's proximity and the reaching warmth in his chest. The hand retreated before coming back down to ruffle his hair.

"Everything is going to work out in the end. We're going to change things for the better." Yamato whispers softly with a small sigh. His hand continues petting Takeru's head gently, with each motion his eyes grow heavier and heavier.

"How is he?" He makes a noise of confusion at the deep voice coming from the doorway. Someone makes a shushing noise and he focuses back on the ministrations lulling him to sleep.

He feels comfortably warm. Safe even. It's been a while since he felt this way when falling asleep. 

The voices speaking softly became background noise. He was peripherally aware of them, and the hand petting his hair but it seemed so distant.

_It felt cool all of a sudden. There was silence all around, deafening silence that felt as if it would choke him. The temperature began dropping further as the clear blue sky which he'd previously ignored began to darken. The bright sun began to bleed red until it too faded into the darkness. He shuddered at the harsh gust of wind that tore through the streets nearly toppling him over. What happened to the city?_

_Where was he?!_

_He glanced around feeling his heart in his throat as a thick fog surrounded him. He looked down at his hands to see a faint glow further up on his chest was a brilliant glow that nudged him fearfully. It retreated to the center of his chest shrinking down as if to avoid detection. A rattling noise startled him as something ice cold clamped down on his wrists burning him._

_His chest felt tight as he raised his shaking hands closer to his face to look at the shackles. It was a black smooth material with some type of inscription along it. It looked similar to what was written on Gatomon's tailring._

_It felt similar yet it was colder. Dead._

_He broke out into a cold sweat as he tried to pull of the smooth metal but they fit snuggly and he had no leverage to remove them. It was as if they'd been made specifically for him._

_He inhaled shakily feeling his eyes prickle with tears as he became aware of someone peering at him through the thick fog. He couldn't move._

_He knows what's going to happen next. He tries to hold back the whimper but a voice chuckles darkly right behind him. Warm air tickles the back of his neck as the chain on the shackles is tugged harshly sending hurling forward away from the sinister presence. He lands flat on his stomach hands out ahead of him. The warmth trembles violently shrinking further as he pushes himself to his feet. Laughter echoes around him and suddenly he's gasping for breath. When had he even stopped?_

_Run. Everything in him screamed that he had to run!_

_RUN RIGHT NOW!_

_Feet pounding across unstable gravel falling to some loose texture. Sand? He stumbled, hands jangling with the sound of the chains weighing him down. The burning feeling moved up to his elbows and the glow began to fade a little. Suddenly his hands were yanked behind him pulling his feet out from under him as he toppled backwards in the sand. He hit the ground with a grunt of pain as the wind was knocked out of him. He scrambled to his feet watching the chain that'd been slack before being pulled began to grow taunt as someone holding the end of the chains neared him._

_His heart pounded loudly in his ears as his shoulders heaved with each breath. Something silver flew at his face. The scream building up finally escaped him as terror coursed through his veins._

 

**"TAKERU!!"**

He cried out in fear flinching away from the loud voice. Hands on his shoulders tightened and suddenly he was back in chains. He fought to get away but he was exhausted and his hands burned. They felt tingly and every shove felt weak.

He was helpless once again. At someone's _mercy_.

Someone nearby was crying, and shouting. He needed to run! His heart continued pounding in his chest and the warmth pulsed strongly. Soothingly.

The hands were gone. The whimpering in his ears quieted down. Harsh breathing slowed.

He continued focusing on the soothing warmth in his chest until his heart no longer felt as if it would beat out of his chest. Eyes that had been clenched tightly opened a little at a time. The first thing he saw was a splash of bright red against soft blue. He looked down at his trembling hands to see them covered in blood. His finger nails caked in it. He raised his hand to his face choking back a sob as blood ran down his wrists.

"Takeru..." He flinched away from the pained whisper. What had he done?

 

 

 

Yamato finally convinced his dad that he should rest. Yamato had everything under control. Takeru was sleeping just fine. See?

Reassuring his dad aside, Yamato felt a prickle of guilt for not telling him that he'd found Takeru sleep walking earlier. Nothing bad had happened and nothing would. He'd keep a closer eye on him. He'd look after him better. 

 

Yamato jerked awake, confused about why there was a foot in front of his face. A small noise roused him further from the dredges of sleep as he sat up yawning. He glanced around absently taking in the room with bemusement. He'd forgotten that he was in Takeru's room.

And he'd fallen asleep. How lame was that? Promising to look after Takeru and then falling asleep on him? Taichi would never let him live it down if he found out. He turned to look at his brother and felt his heart drop as he took in the scared look his brother wore. Sweat dripped down his face, hands clenched in front of him as he whimpers. 

"Takeru. Wake up." Yamato whispered shaking his brother's shoulder. There was no response, aside from him curling up. He whimpered again grasping his wrist.

"Takeru, its just a dream. Wake up!" He whispered urgently wanting to keep his dad from hearing. Takeru remained stubbornly asleep in the throes of his nightmare. 

Takeru cried out softly curling his hands to his face with a look of fear so intense it stole his breath away. He gave up shaking him awake and simple yanked him into a sitting position.

"Wake up! Wake up Takeru! You need to wake up!" He ordered shaking him before giving up, instead he began trying to pry his hand away from his wrist as Takeru desperately clawed at it.

He managed to pry his hand free and ended up with an elbow straight to the face. He cried out in shocking releasing his brother and falling off the bed. He shook off the hit after a few seconds of dazed confusion. He sat up quickly reaching over to grab his brother when warm liquid slipped down his nose slipping into his mouth and down his chin. It was tangy and metallic tasting. He scrubbed his sleeve under his nose before reaching out for Takeru's hand as he cried out loudly scratching at his wrists as if trying to pull something off.

He screamed flinching away from him. The door slammed open behind him as he pulled Takeru into a sitting position. He wrestled his hands free and pinned them to his sides as he frantically called out for him to wake up. 

Arms wrapped around him engulfing him in a bear hug further encompassing Takeru as he continued screaming. Yamato inhaled before screaming:  **"TAKERU!!"**

His dad flinched as did Takeru. He instantly regretted shouting as Takeru began actively struggling to get away. He shoved at them crying and pleading to be let go. Eyes scrunched shut as his shoulders heaved with each panicked breath. The arms around him moved to his waist lifting him up and away from the bed in an instant.

Takeru pressed his hands to his chest whimpering in pain. Somehow he was actually calming down. His scared look smoothed out, his breathing slowed down and the whimpers petered off. His hands still shook from where they were pressed to his chest but he had calmed down. 

His dad gave a slight squeeze before releasing him to move closer to Takeru. He watched anxiously as his brother peeked his eyes open. His eyes landed on the blood stains that Yamato had left on the bed. He peered down at his hands in shock. He gasped softly before a strangled sob escaped him.

"Takeru..." His dad whispered, Yamato flinched as Takeru flinched. His shoulders moved up to his ears as he glanced their way. He froze before lurching forward.

"Onii-chan!" He cried out concern in his eyes. Yamato absently swiped at his nose with his sleeve again when his dad caught his arm and led him to the bed.

"Wait right here you two. First aid kit still under the kitchen sink?" At Takeru's nod he left left the room leaving the two siblings to sit in silence.

"Takeru." Terrified blue eyes looked at him as he stopped breathing. Hands gripped tightly at his chest as he fearfully shook his head begging him to drop the matter. Yamato could feel that same darkness looming behind him and shuddered. He reluctantly nodded his head as he pinched his nose to stop the bleeding and held out the other for Takeru to hold.

 

 

Takeru felt the hand gripping his throat fade away as he grabbed hold of his brother's hand. He could breathe again. The warmth in his chest slowly trickled forward like a frightened rabbit. Would his brother be tormented by these nightmares too if he allowed the warmth to continue forward? He knows that he never kept contact with anyone for long before because the warmth surged forward threatening to sweep him away with dreams that knocked him out.

It wasn't unusual for him to randomly fall asleep. He wasn't the only one. For at least two weeks Daisuke, Miyako, Ken, Iori and himself ended up falling asleep at random intervals. No warning. Just instant knock out. Gennai confirmed that it was a minor consequence of being lulled into the world of dreams that no longer existed. That was how Takeru had found out about the warmth inside him. He'd thought he wasn't alone at first, until he found that the warmth he found in the others had slowly shriveled up and faded away.

The world of dreams had been trying to regain strength by forcing them to sleep and dream. Somehow the others had stopped dreaming. Leaving him alone in the world so small he could hold it in the palm of his hand. 

And now something had crept into his dreams now that he'd left his mind open. The choice was taken from him as his hands were pulled onto his father's knees. 

His wrists were rinsed out in a bowl of water before alcohol wipes were gently scrubbed across his wrists. Antibacterial cream was rubbed onto his wrists and then they were bandaged. He tried not to be sick at the sight of the bandages. They were stark white, completely different from the shackles. His skin still crawled at the weight.

The warmth pulsed soothingly. It was reassuring in a way.


	5. Heart Made Of Glass My Mind Of Stone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wallace could feel Something stirring in the wind. It was like a sixth sense he developed after Chocmon.  
> Digidestined were disappearing world wide, and the Japanese digidestined were facing the world alone with the weight of another world on their shoulders.  
> Wallace on the other hand, had his own troubles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title lyric- lovely by Billie Ellish with Khalid  
> Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Wallace peered away from his textbook with furrowed brows as he glanced westward. He looked at the swirling wind winding out the window. Terriermon looked at him when he leaned out the window.

"Wallace?" Chocmon called out softly from the bed. 

"Something's coming. Something big." Wallace frowned softly as he shut the window and went back to his homework. Did it have to do with the new digidestined that are sprouting up in Japan?

Around the world?

What about the digidestined that came forward around the world? Himself included.

He'd heard many teenagers were being followed by government agencies around the world. He was being followed. Watched.

Hunted.

The way Chocmon used to hunt the other chosen children. He was at the top of the watch list from what Koushiro emailed him. The japanese teen discretely made contact with several chosen that were high up on the list such as the newly created chosen in japan and the original nine plus Miyako, Daisuke and Iori. 

"Stay hidden. You know the rules." He chided softly wishing he didn't have to hide them away all the time now.

"Wallace, you have a visitor." Wallace shoved his digivice into a hollowed out book and quickly ushered his partners into the closet amongst the stuffed animal collection he created for this very purpose.

"Coming mom." He called out cheerfully unplugging his computer after sending a generic email to the chat room created and secured by Koushiro to let them know to send help if he didnt contact anyone in a day.

"Wallace, these gentlemen wanted to talk with you... About the monsters." His mom's blue eyes looked afraid even as she worried her apron in her hands. He smiled regretting nothing and everything all at once.

"Ill be okay mom." She shot the two men in suits a suspicious look as she crossed the room and pulled him into a tight hug.

"If you need to leave... Those parents said their kids were taken. No one is doing anything." She whispered fearful and heartbroken. Wallace hugged her back tightly.

"You worry too much mom." He wishes sometimes that he wasn't so practiced at hiding how he felt. He didn't want her to leave, it wasn't legal to be questioned without a guardian or parent. Sarah had just disappeared last week after sending a message that she was going to be questioned. 

"Now, Wallace, what can you tell us about the monsters that appeared in New York?" Wallace watched the men pull out their phones and a small notepad. He took the love seat across from them feeling smaller now that he was sitting down. He hoped it didn't show as he made a show thinking about the past month of chaos. 

"What do you want me to say?" He asked testing the waters. If he was as high up on the watch list as Koushiro said, did that make him a dangerous threat in the government's eyes? Or was he labeled a terrorist because of Chocmon's actions.

"Anything you know would be helpful." The brown haired man to the right side said. The man on the left pressed his lips in a tight line but remained silent.

"From what I saw on the news... There was a giant tree attacking a christmas tree. Some type of giant frog? And a ton of mutant bugs." He stated blandly clenching his toes as he watched the man on the left grit his teeth. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He pulled something out of his chest pocket and held it out to Wallace. Wallace reached out to grab the items and saw that it was some photographs.

He felt a wave of vertigo hit him as he stared at himself staring up at Chocmon with Terriermon clinging to his shoulder. It was taken from above, clear and concise.

The next one was of himself, Daisuke, Raidramon and Terriermon on a grassy plain. Blurred but still recognizable.

The last one was on himself standing with a group of teens and children fighting the Cherrymon. It was as plain as day.

But he could still deny and lie and reject.

"Pfft. Didn't you know that everyone can make these pictures? Everyone's doing it. It's all the rage." He laughed hands curling into his stomach as if to stop himself from laughing when he only wanted to hide how hard his hands were shaking.

"There were several eye witnesses that came forward to identify you." The man on the right said as he leaned forward. His brown eyes glared at him daring him to continue lying.

"Well... I do have a stuffed animal that I carry around... I know its not 'manly' but it's cute." He flinched back as the man on the left abruptly stood up. A shiver ran down his spine as he felt something curve around him. He looked at the swirling wind from the corner of his eyes but otherwise made no sign that he even noticed it. From what he'd observed, no one could see it. 

"Are you obstructing a federal case?" Wallace held up his hands palms facing the two men.

"No." He smiled shrugging lightly. The current wound itself around the two men before slipping back to his room. A shrill screeching noise had the two men reaching into their waist bands. 

"Run!" A woman screamed flying past him and tackling one man as a bat she had hit the others.

"Mom-" Wallace's cry was cut off as long arms snaked arund his waist and yanked him back towards the room. A bag was shoved into his arms and pieces of the computer were being shoved into another bag.

"Your digivice!" Antilamon whispered urgently pulling out books from the shelves. Wallace grabbed the false book ripping his digivice out even as he heard a struggle behind him. 

Tried not to think about his mother fighting to protect him.

 

The door slammed open.

 

Wind was in his face, chaotic ane angrily swirling.

 

Glass caressed every part of his body as he raised his hands to protect his face from the wind as it whipped his clothes about nearly yanking the bag out of his arms.

Terriermon was clutching onto his neck with one hand and hitting the side of his apartment with a pale green blast of light.

_**"WALLACE!!!"**_ Wallace's mom was standing in the wreckage that was his room with a gun being held to her forehead. Tears in her blue eyes as a grim smile lit her face.

A flash of green light hit the apartment again as something flew past him into Antilamon with a sharp crack.

_**"MOM!!!!"**_ Wallace cried out seeing his mother's bruised and bloody face being held at gunpoint by the brown haired man.

The wind was a swirling vortex yanking and pushing them in until the world faded away into dark nothingness.

 

 

 

Ken bit his lip anxiously starting a timer as soon as he read Wallace's message. He sent a quick message to Koushiro updating him on the current list of actively questioned Chosen and who had yet to check in.

"Catherine, Wallace, Michael, and Yue Hong are being questioned today. The Poi brothers still havent checked in..." Ken was worried. Last week several Chosen had reached out to say they were being contacted by government agencies. And then they began to disappear.

Some were taken away in the dead of night. Being reported missing by friends and family.

Others ran away from home, checking in when they could. All reported that they were being hunted.

A handul had been hauled out of their homes or school into government vehicles.

And at least four that he knows of escaped with their digimon if they hadn't opted to stay in the digital world.

"Ken!" His mother cried out sharply. Ken sped out of hus room to the dayroom where his mother was watching the news.

"Another monster attack. Here we can see the remains of the attack. A woman was injured and her son stolen away. This is a clip shot just moments ago from a cellphone."

Shaky footage showed a giant skinny rabbit leaping out of a demolished apartment window with a teen in its arms. Green light shot at the window.

_**"WALLACE!!!!!"**_ a woman's anguished voice cried out as glass rained down on the street.

A flash of green followed by a cracking sound.

The video cut out for a second.

Then cut back in as a swirling vortex of wind wiped the rabbit out of existence.

_**"MOM!!!!!!"**_ A boy's agonized cry was cut off.

Ken was on the phone with Koushiro in seconds.

"Wallace is gone. He vanished midair with his digimon after destroying his apartment. You need to do damage control now. Its all over the news." Ken shakily explained. The urgency in his voice kept his mother silent as she pressed her hand to his back in comfort.

* * *

 


	6. There's A Place- Just One Place We Will One Day Return

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Chosen Children begin to feel pressure. But they've survived in hostile territory for months on their own and in groups. They suffered, they bled. Shed sweat and tears in equal measure.  
> Takeru knows he can't keep quiet anymore. But with his words taken away from him and darkness threatening to hurt those he loves he doesn't know what to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title lyric: synchronicity- Tsubasa reservoir chronicle amalee version  
> So... I messed up my hand three months ago and finally healed. Recovery was slowly and painful.  
> I will slowly be updating all my fics, starting with the ones that i have already prewritten conten for.

Takeru was warm. He didn't want to get up. His stomach grumbled irritably at him. He stubbornly clung to the last vestiges of peaceful sleep he'd managed because of his brother literally wrapping him up in the blanket and curling up with him.

"You want to get up yet sleepyhead?" Takeru huffed aggressively burrowing closer to his brother. Soft laughter in his ears faded away.

 

_"Wait. Wait! You can't leave me again! Terriermon!" Wallace sobbed desperately holding his hands to a long rabbit like digimon's shoulder. Bits of data leaked through his fingers. Tears streamed down Wallace's cheeks as he looked at Terriermon._

_"What do I do?" He choked as a thin hand rubbed his head._

_"I'll come back Wallace... I'll always come back." The data dispersed in front of Wallace as Terriermon looked away with tears in his eyes._

_"Wallace. Wallace." Terriermon called softly, hesitantly as a digiegg began to form._

_"Wallace?" Takeru called out timidly, heart aching at the memory of losing Patamon. Wallace looked up startled, he mouthed something before looking up and reaching out quickly as the digiegg dropped._

_"How are you here? Where is here?" He asked looking around even as he cradled the digiegg close. Terriermon sniffed the air dragging a bag behind him. Takeru too looked around trying to see where they were._

_"This... This is less than a mile from primary village." Takeru would recognize this river anywhere. It was where Elecmon came to fish for the babies._

_"The digital world? But the gates are locked. And we didn't use a gate." Wallace scrubbed his eyes with one sleeve as he climbed to his feet shoulder his bag and the one Terriermon carried before lifting his other partner to his shoulders._

_"You look like a ghost. All see through." Wallace remarked absently studying him. Takeru looked down at his hands to see that Wallace was right. His heart leapt into his throat. He shot Wallace a terrified look before the world faded away from him. He watched helplessly as Wallace cried out reaching out to him._

 

_He was in a hospital room. His mother was sleeping with various wires connected to her. The darkness from under her bed seeped out and slowly traveled up to her. He grabbed her hand only to phase through her. He watched helplessly as the darkness crawled on top of her, squirming to her chest. Her fingers twitched._

_Her chest heaved as if a great weight was pressing onto her. Her expression pinched in pain._

_Blue eyes glazed with pain roamed the room before landing on him. Tears slowly gathering in her eyes as she struggled to move her hand to him._

_"Stop." He exhaled shakily trying to grab hold of her again._

_"Please!" He cried out fearfully feeling his heart thud painfully in his chest._

_A thin line of darkness shot towards him wrapping around his neck. It tightened in warning as he made to speak again. His mother's blue eyes widened in horror before determination filled her features. She moved her hand towards the plastic remote on her bed._

_"Mo-" his hands shot to his throat as he was yanked closer to the bed. His knees were yanked out from under him. He hit the ground so hard his teeth clicked._

_The darkness gripping his neck moved towards his wrists. Horror filled his chest._

_The door slammed open behind him._

_"Takaishi-san!" A nurse cried out and suddenly he was free as the nurse ran through him. His mother looked him in the eyes scanning him before relaxing as the darkness slowly slunk off of her._

 

"Takeru?" Takeru's eyes snapped open and to his horror. He burst into tears.

He clawed his way out of the blanket to grab hold of the only person in the world who ever made him feel safe and clung tightly to him. A hand came to rest on the back of his head. Another wrapped around his shoulders. There were no words.

Just silence.

Sometimes he can appreciate the silence his brother cherishes. Right now, in this small pocket of the world he is safe from harm. Even the small warmth in his chest is mute. 

The phone begins to ring. Then both their cellphones and then their father walks in with his own phone ringing.

"There's trouble." He says looking pale. Takeru is instantly reminded of the darkness surrounding his mother and shudders.

"There was a digimon attack in New York... A teenager was kidnapped." He continued grimly as he excused himself to answer both phones. Takeru and Yamato scrambled to their phones and felt their hearts drop.

"Onii-chan..." Takeru's voice quivered as he tried to halt the flow of his tears. The frightened look his brother wore told him everything he needed to know. "It hasn't even been one day." He grit his teeth in frustration. He called Taichi putting him on speaker.

"You heard then?" He started grimly even as Hikari asked in the background if she should gather the new chosen.

"Wallace sent Ken an email twenty minutes ago. He isn't the only one being questioned today either." Yamato began looking around the room and Takeru grabbed his bag from under the bed pulling out his mother's laptop. He opened up the chat room and located the message Wallace sent.

 

'It's been a quiet day so far. Haven't heard from Sarah yet, has anyone else? I need to finish my homework but i guess that can wait seeing that I have some guests coming over. Anyone that can help with homework give me a text in the next day or so. See ya!'

 

Takeru tried pulling up a digigate but it didn't open. He glanced at the screen with dread. Wallace was trapped in the digital world with no way out and no idea how he even got in.

With no one but him aware of his location.

"We've been called in for questioning. All of us." Taichi said quietly. Yamato looked at him with worry in his eyes and Takeru felt worried. It would not look good if they came in looking a wreck.

"Taichi..." Yamato near whispered, even then Takeru could still hear the way his voice cracked. A hand rubbed his shoulders and Takeru pushed his hands into his face willing the tears to halt.

His onii-chan was holding it together so why couldn't he?

 

 

 

 

 

"That was the hospital. You're mothe-" a sob cut off Hiroaki and his heart clenched in pain as he watched his youngest son fold under the pressure.

He wasn't looking at an eleven year and fourteen year old anymore. He was looking at a four year and his seven year old big brother. Wailing as if he'd lost his mind and didn't know what to do with himself anymore. And his faithful older brother was holding him close just holding him together.

 

He watched him suffer a meltdown and was helpless to do anything. The same happened years ago when he was a child and saw imaginary creatures. Back then his brother was the only one able to calm him down as well. Not even his mother could help him in this state, and it hurt to hear her helplessness as she called to speak with Yamato. At least now he didn't have to settle for listening to his eldest son comfort his brother. It didn't make it any better witnessing a meltdown.

 


End file.
